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How To Work Smarter, Not Harder | 52 Cues Podcast 2025, Week 1
In the latest episode of the 52 Cues podcast, Dave delves into the art of crafting compelling music cues that captivate listeners and meet industry standards. He shares personal anecdotes from his journey in production music, offering valuable insights into the creative process. Listeners will gain practical advice on structuring cues, selecting appropriate instrumentation, and understanding the nuances that make a composition stand out in the competitive world of production music. This episode is a must-listen for composers aiming to enhance their skills and succeed in the industry.
Looking Back on 2024 and What's Ahead for 2025 | 52 Cues Podcast, 2024 Week 52
As we wrap up 2024 and look ahead to 2025, it’s a perfect time to reflect on the milestones we’ve achieved and the exciting opportunities on the horizon. This past year, the 52 Cues community has grown in ways that inspire—welcoming new members, fostering creativity, and launching initiatives like Expedition 52. On the podcast, I also share personal reflections on the triumphs and challenges of 2024, emphasizing the importance of resilience and community in navigating the ever-evolving music landscape. As we embark on a new year, let’s set bold goals, embrace fresh challenges, and make 2025 a year of creativity and growth together!
The 3 Keys to a Long (and Happy!) Career | 52 Cues Podcast, 2024 Week 51
In this episode, Dave unpacks the three keys to a sustainable production music career: your superpower, your passion, and what libraries need. Find your sweet spot and thrive!
Why Does it Take So Long to Get Paid? | 52 Cues Podcast, 2024 Week 50
From concept to cash, I’m breaking down the complete timeline of a production music cue so you’ll know exactly what to expect on your path to those sweet royalty checks
What Defines the "Mood" in a Cue? | 52 Cues Podcast, 2024 Week 49
In this epic 200th episode, Dave shares lessons learned from four years of the 52 Cues Podcast, working towards sustainability, growth, and embracing imperfection.
It's Episode 200! What Have I Learned? | 52 Cues Podcast, 2024 Week 48
In this epic 200th episode, Dave shares lessons learned from four years of the 52 Cues Podcast, working towards sustainability, growth, and embracing imperfection.
Understanding Ominous Tension | 52 Cues Podcast, 2024 Week 47
In this episode, we revisit the art of crafting ominous tension cues as Dave explores the harmonic and rhythmic techniques behind these cues, emphasizing drone-based harmony, slow-moving melodies, and evolving layers.
Is Originality Overrated? | 52 Cues Podcast, 2024 Week 46
Dave questions whether originality is overrated in production music, suggesting that unique expression matters more than being entirely original. He discusses techniques like modeling and referencing to meet industry expectations while staying creatively fulfilled.
Mastermind | Summer 2024
The 52 Cues Mastermind is the fastest--and perhaps most enjoyable--way to grow your music production skills, network with an elite tier of composers, and explore the discipline, mindset, and motivation needed to find succeed in this business!
Parkinson's Law and Composers
Parkinson's Law states that work expands to fill the time available for its completion. In this episode, Dave discusses how this concept applies to the world of production music, and how it impacts efficiency, decision-making, and creativity in music production.
Let's Talk Sync Agents (with Chuck Milan)
Explore the vibrant world of music sync with insights from industry expert Chuck Milan in our latest 52 Cues Podcast episode. Discover the roles of sync agents, music publishers, and libraries, and learn valuable tips for making your music stand out for film, TV, and commercials. Gain firsthand knowledge on optimizing song quality, navigating copyright laws, and leveraging social media for sync success. Join us for an enlightening conversation that unveils the secrets to mastering the music sync process and securing lucrative opportunities in the entertainment industry.
Cymbal Slice 2024 | LIVE!
The quest - create a cue with the provided bowed cymbal samples, much like a sushi chef expertly prepares their ingredients!
This challenge encouraged participants to slice, dice, stretch, and creatively manipulate the samples in any way imaginable, transforming these sounds into something uniquely yours, and showcasing their ability to innovate and design sound with precision and creativity.
We Need To Talk About AI...Again
In this week's episode of the 52 Cues podcast, we dive back into the topic of AI, spurred by OpenAI's recent release of their text-to-video engine, Sora, which presents both stunning and unsettling advancements in AI-generated content. Dave reflects on the rapidly evolving capabilities of AI in creative industries and stresses the importance for composers to elevate their craft beyond the low-effort, easily replicable content that AI is beginning to master.
Hacking Music Theory with Music Interval Theory
In this episode of the podcast, we welcome Frank and TC from the Music Interval Theory Academy, who introduce a groundbreaking approach to music composition. By focusing on a three-step composing process that veers away from traditional music theory, they offer new creative strategies and methods that not only challenge conventional composing techniques but also opens up a world of innovation for composers and musicians alike!
Turning Pro
What separates hobbyists from professionals in music composition is not talent, but mindset, accountability, dedication, and an ability to embrace failure! In this episode, we talk patience, persistence, self-actualization, and the acceptance of failure as part of the road to success.
Great Music Production Books by Dean Krippaehne
Dave devoured these three books in 2017 and 2018! Dean Krippaehne's music production books—"Demystifying the Cue," "Demystifying the Genre," and "Write Submit Forget Repeat,”— stand as an indispensable resource for anyone navigating the competitive world of music licensing and songwriting.
From Sample Making to Filmmaking with Jon Meyer
We production music folks tend to have a lot of irons in the fire and I can’t think of a leader in our industry who best embodies this than Jon Meyer (@JonMeyer)!
Jon has just released his brand new Kontakt instrument, Soft Drums, and I wanted to have him on the show to not only talk about that, but also, to share how he balances so many creative outlets - from music making to sample making to filmmaking.
Production Music Q&A
Dive into the world of production and library music with Dave Kropf on the 52 Cues podcast. This episode covers mastering alts and stems, AI tools, pitching to libraries, choosing sounds for cues, backend royalties, finding references, mastering dynamic tracks, panning practices, using samples, placements in PRO catalogs, transition music, and learning sample libraries.
Explore the ins and outs of being a working production music composer!
The Many Ways I Make Money Making Music
Nearly every composer I know doesn’t just compose for a living. They often find themselves cobbling together a career from many different aspects of the industry, from writing to arranging to gigging to teaching. So today, I thought I’d talk about all of the various ways I, personally, make money making music.
Are You Too Old to Start a Music Career?
On today’s show, I sit down and chat with longtime 52 Cues member, and now recent Full Sail graduate, Greg Fellman, who left his career in social work to pursue his dream of being a media composer.
Plus, we listen to three of his cues which were recently selected to be featured during the 2022 Full Sail Hall of Fame induction ceremony!